News

Cabbie beats woman who didn't give child porridge

Covering the courts

A taxi driver faced the Corporate Area Resident's Magistrate's Court last week for beating his common-law wife with a broom after she did not give their two-year-old child any porridge.

The 27-year-old complainant told the court on Friday, that she was at home when her spouse came and accused her of not giving their two-year-old child any porridge and started to curse her.

"Him say me not giving the baby any porridge and started to style me and a call me John Crow and dog sh... and say me must come out of him house," she said.

The complainant said that she answered him and he used a broom to hit her in the face and on her side causing bruises, pain and swelling.

The incident occurred at the couple's home in Olympic Gardens, St Andrew on May 20 and Johnson was later charged with unlawful wounding.

"Why you hit her with the broom?" Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey asked.

"Afta she hit me first," Johnson replied.

He then told the court that the complainant used their child's bicycle to hit him first and he retaliated.

But the magistrate told him that since he did not report the matter, she could not deal with it and that he should tell her why he should not go to prison for hitting the complainant.

"A me take care a me youth," Johnson responded.

Pusey then told him that that was his responsibility and it does not factor in his sentence. John then insisted that it was the complainant who hit him first.

"But you nuh take no action again her, you is a nice guy and I admire your for it," Pusey said sparking laughter from the court.

"You did not bring any action against her so I don't care, but you beat her up with a broom in front of your child," she added.

Pusey then asked the complainant if she was seeking compensation for her medical bill and was told by the complainant that she spent $5,000 and that she needed more money to do x-rays on her jawbone and ribs.

Johnson was then asked to make a payment of $10,000 to the complainant and he did.

"Doctor want to see har jawbone and this is an interim payment, because if she go doctor and it fracture a bigga money," Pusey warned Johnson amidst more laugher. Johnson's bail was then extended for him to return to court on June 30.

Angry brother beats sister's boyfriend for visiting her

A man who beat up a 13-year-old boy after he caught him at his home visiting his 13-year-old sister was asked to fork out $10,000 for the action.

The man, Giovanni Darby, was fined by RM Pusey on Thursday after he admitted that he assaulted the complainant. If the fine is not paid, Darby will serve six months in prison.

The court heard that on the day in question, Darby went home and found the complainant inside his house talking to his sister and got upset. Darby then used his body to brace the young man inside the house, thus preventing him from leaving and a tussle ensued after which the complainant managed to escape.

But the court heard further that Darby chased the complainant and beat him all over his body.

"You were never in love?" Pusey asked Darby before reprimanding him for assaulting the teenager.

"They are young and gushing with love, you have no right to beat him up," she added.

Moreover, Pusey told Darby, "If you beat up your sister's boyfriend, all she is going to do is go undercover and that is more serious."

Pusey then turned to the complainant and warned him not to return to Darby's house and to stay away from his sister.

"Find another girlfriend, cause him don't want you in the family, and don't go back or wait until she is 18," she told the teenager.

Man denies hitting child for calling him the b-word

A man faced the magistrate for reportedly hitting a seven-year-old boy who allegedly called him a "ba... man".

Kurt Beckford, 42, a self-employed resident of Temple Hall in St Andrew was arrested and charged with assault occasioning bodily harm following allegations that he assaulted the child.

On Friday the complainant told the magistrate that he was riding his scooter bike when the accused threw a dirty paper on him. The complainant said he then called Beckford "ba... man" and he used a hose with iron in it to hit him in his back.

The complainant was spending time with his father in Woodglen Drive in Kingston on May 27, when he was reportedly injured.

The court heard that the complainant was hit in his lower back causing, bruises, pain and swelling and that a doctor had confirmed the injury.

But Beckford insisted that he did not hit the child and as a result his case was set for trial on October 22.

Beckford was taken into custody and charged a day after the incident, after the child's father was bathing him and noticed the bruise to his lower back, which he said was painful and tender.

UWI student steals fish from pond for research project

Laughter erupted in the court on Tuesday, after a young man believed to be a student of the University of the West Indies, faced the court for stealing four fishes from a pond on the school's compound.

The student, Barrington Lamar Blackwood, however claimed that he was catching the fishes to use them for a research that he was doing.

The 24-year-old accused, was reportedly caught on the campus on May 20, around 4:18 am using a fishing line and hook to catch the fishes.

The court heard that security guards on duty had noticed the accused loitering in the vicinity of the main library on the campus. Blackwood, however, reportedly waited until the security guard had left and tried to snatch the fishes but was held.

According to the police, he told the guards that he was trying to feed the fishes when he was held and attempted to get away on a bicycle.

However, Blackwood in his defence on Tuesday told the court that he was third-year marine biology student at the institution and insisted that he was given permission by a lab demonstrator to take them from the pond and use for his research.

He was subsequently charged with simple larceny.

On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to the charge and explained that he did not know that the area from which he was taking the fishes was a private area, as he had been given permission to do so.

But Pusey told him: "If that was the case, you would not be here today."

She however extended his bail and instructed the investigating officer to find out if he is in fact a student of the UWI and which faculty he belongs as well as if he is currently doing a research paper.

He is scheduled to return to court on June 17.

Man beats sick brother over hose

A man who gave his brother, who just had a stroke, a severe whipping over a piece of hose was scolded by the magistrate for ill-treating his sick brother.

The accused, Andre Roberts, was arrested and charged with unlawful wounding after he used a hose to hit the complainant all over his body.

Roberts told the court on Tuesday that the dispute with his brother started after his brother told him not to use a piece of wood which he wanted to use in the construction work on his house, even though the item did not belong to any of them.

Roberts said at the same time his brother was using a hoe that belonged to him and he told him that he should give him the hoe. As a result he said the complainant then came to him and told him that he was going to take off the water hose that Roberts shared with other family members and a fight ensued.

"Oonu sound like two little pickney, what you want me to do with him?" Pusey asked the complainant.

"The complainant then told the court that Roberts attacked and beat him a few days after he had a stroke.

"After you brother have stroke you beat him," Pusey then said to Roberts.

"At that time I don't know what happened," he answered.

"If my brother had a stroke I would lotion and bathe him and you take hose and beat your brother and a come in here and a defend what you did," she remarked.

"If you did that to him, what would you do to me," Pusey said.

She then told Roberts that he should treat his brother better, as they are family, and that they should try to get along with each other and live in peace.

Roberts was ordered to pay the complainant $10,000 for his medical fee. The money was paid in court and no evidence was offered against Robert.

ADVERTISEMENT

POST A COMMENT

HOUSE RULES

1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper – email addresses will not be published.

2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.

3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.

4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.